View source for Bat-eared fox

{{Short description|Species of carnivorans}}
{{good article}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Bat-eared fox<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft  |pages =  |id=14000832}}</ref>
| fossil_range = [[Chibanian]]–Recent<ref name="Lars-2010" /><br />{{Fossil range|0.3|0}}
| image = Otocyon megalotis - Etosha 2014.jpg
| image_caption = 
| image_alt = A bat-eared fox standing among grasses
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Hoffmann, M. |date=2014 |title=''Otocyon megalotis'' |volume=2014 |page=e.T15642A46123809 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T15642A46123809.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
| display_parents = 2
| genus = Otocyon
| parent_authority = [[Salomon Müller|S. Müller]], 1835
| species = megalotis
| authority = ([[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest|Desmarest]], 1822)
| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
| subdivision = *''O. megalotis megalotis''
*''O. megalotis virgatus''
| synonyms = *''Canis megalotis'' Desmarest, 1822
*''Canis lalandii'' Desmoulins, 1823
*''Otocyon caffer'' S. Müller, 1836
*''Agriodus auritus'' H. Smith, 1840
*''Otocyon virgatus'' Miller, 1909
*''Otocyon canescens'' Cabrera, 1910
*''Otocyon steinhardti'' Zukowsky, 1924
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Clark2005" />
| range_map = Otocyon megalotis range ssp.svg
| range_map_caption = {{legend|#2e9d1e|&nbsp;''O. m. megalotis'' range}} {{legend|#e94644|&nbsp;''O. m. virgatus'' range}}
}}

The '''bat-eared fox''' ('''''Otocyon megalotis''''') is a species of [[fox]] found on the African [[savanna]]. It is the only extant species of the genus ''Otocyon'' and a [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] species of [[Canidae|canid]]. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the [[Chibanian|middle Pleistocene]]. There are two separate populations of the bat-eared fox, each of which makes up a subspecies. The bat referred to in its colloquial name is possibly the [[Egyptian slit-faced bat]] (''Nycteris thebaica''), which is abundant in the region and has very large ears. Other vernacular names include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox, Delalande's fox, cape fox, and motlosi.

It is named for its large ears, which have a role in [[thermoregulation]]. It is a small canid, being of comparable size to the closely related [[cape fox]] and [[common raccoon dog]]. Its fur varies in color depending on the subspecies, but is generally tan-colored and has [[guard hair]]s of a grey [[agouti (coloration)|agouti]] color. The bat-eared fox is found in [[Southern Africa|Southern]] and [[East Africa]], though the two subspecies are separated by an unpopulated region spanning approximately {{Convert|1000|km|abbr=on}}. In its range, the bat-eared fox digs dens for shelter and to raise its young, and lives in social groups or pairs that hunt and [[Social grooming|groom]] together.

The bat-eared fox eats mainly [[Insect|insects]]&mdash;a diet unique among canids. It forages in arid and semi-arid environments, preferring regions with bare ground and where [[ungulate]]s keep grasses short, and locates prey by using its hearing, walking slowly with its nose to the ground and ears tilted forwards. Most of its diet is made up of [[harvester termites]], which also hydrates the bat-eared fox, as it does not drink from free-standing water. By feeding on harvester termites, it acts as a means of population control for these insects, which are considered pests in regions populated by humans. In such regions, it has been hunted for its fur. No major threats to the bat-eared fox exist, and as such it is considered to be a [[least-concern species]].

==Etymology==
The bat-eared fox's [[Generic name (biology)|generic name]] ''Otocyon'' is derived from the [[Greek language|Greek]] words ''otus'' ({{Lang|el|οὖς}}) for ear and ''cyon'' ({{Lang|el|κύων}}) for [[dog]], while the [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]] ''megalotis'' comes from the Greek words ''megas'' ({{Lang|el|μέγας}}) for large and ''otus'' ({{Lang|el|οὖς}}) for ear.<ref name="Clark2005">{{Cite journal  |last1 = Clark  |first1 = H. O. |title = ''Otocyon megalotis''  |journal = Mammalian Species  |pages = 1–5 |year = 2005  |issue = 766 |doi = 10.1644/1545-1410(2005)766[0001:OM]2.0.CO;2  |jstor = 3504550|s2cid = 198969264 }}</ref> The [[common name]] for the bat-eared fox is likely taken from the [[Egyptian slit-faced bat]] (''Nycteris thebaica''), due to the bat's similarly large ears and abundance in the bat-eared fox's geographic range.<ref name="Skinner&Chimimba" /> Other vernacular (common) names for the bat-eared fox include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=W.T. |title=The Flesh-eaters: A Guide to the Carnivorous Animals of Southern Africa |date=1972 |publisher=Purnell |isbn=978-0-360-00166-4}}</ref> Delalande's fox, cape fox,{{efn|Note that cape fox is the common name for a true fox from South Africa, ''[[Vulpes chama]]''.{{refn|name=msw3}}}} and motlosi.<ref name="Clark2005" /><!-- I couldn't find an explanation or etymology for "motlosi" - Mammalian Species article gives information only on the Greek origin. -->

==Taxonomy and evolution==
The bat-eared fox is the only living species of the [[genus]] ''Otocyon''.<ref name="msw3" /> Its [[scientific name]], given by [[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest]], was initially ''Canis megalotis'' (due to its close resemblance to jackals), and later changed by [[Salomon Müller]] which placed it in its own genus, ''Otocyon''; its large ears and different [[dental formula]] warrant inclusion in a genus distinct from both ''[[Canis]]'' and true foxes (''[[Vulpes]]'').<ref name="Skinner&Chimimba">{{Cite book |last1=Skinner |first1=J. D. |title=The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region |last2=Chimimba |first2=Christian T. |date=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-84418-5}}</ref>

Due to its unusual [[dentition]]&mdash;{{DentalFormula|upper=3.1.4.3-4|lower=3.1.4.4-5|total=46-50}}, the largest number of teeth known in any non-marsupial land mammal&mdash;the bat-eared fox was previously placed in a distinct [[subfamily]] of [[canid]]s, Otocyoninae, as no relationship to any living species of canid could be established.<ref name="Nel&Maas" />

=== Phylogeny ===
''Otocyon megalotis'' is regarded as having affinities with the vulpine line,<ref name="Nel&Maas">{{Cite book |author1=Nel, J. A. J. |title=Canids: foxes, wolves, jackals, and dogs |author2=Maas, B. |date=2004 |publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group |isbn=978-2-8317-0786-0 |editor-last1=Sillero-Zubiri |editor-first1=Claudio |location=Gland, Switzerland |chapter=Bat-eared fox ''Otocyon megalotis'' |editor-last2=Hoffmann |editor-first2=Michael |editor-last3=Macdonald |editor-first3=David W. |chapter-url=http://www.canids.org/species/Bat-eared_fox.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901011033/http://www.canids.org/species/Bat-eared_fox.pdf |archive-date=2012-09-01}}</ref> and ''Otocyon'' was placed with high confidence as sister to the [[clade]] containing both the [[raccoon dog]] (''Nyctereutes'') and [[true fox]]es (''Vulpes''), occupying a [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] (closest to the base) position within [[Canidae]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Westbury|first1=Michael|last2=Dalerum|first2=Fredrik|last3=Norén|first3=Karin|last4=Hofreiter|first4=Michael|date=2017-01-01|title=Complete mitochondrial genome of a bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis), along with phylogenetic considerations|journal=Mitochondrial DNA Part B|volume=2|issue=1|pages=298–299|doi=10.1080/23802359.2017.1331325|pmid=33473804|pmc=7800562|url=http://digibuo.uniovi.es/dspace/bitstream/10651/43386/1/Complete%20mitochondrial%20.pdf|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Ancestry">{{Cite book |publisher = Oxford University Press |isbn = 978-0-19-170563-2 |last1 = Wang |first1 = Xiaoming |last2 = Tedford |first2 = Richard H. |last3 = Valkenburgh |first3 = Blaire Van |last4 = Wayne |first4 = Robert K. |chapter = Ancestry: Evolutionary history, molecular systematics, and evolutionary ecology of Canidae |title = The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids |year = 2004 |chapter-url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267156823 |page=43}}</ref>

The following [[cladogram]] is based on figures by Lindblad-Toh et al., 2005:<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lindblad-Toh |first1=Kerstin |last2=Wade |first2=Claire M. |last3=Mikkelsen |first3=Tarjei S. |last4=Karlsson |first4=Elinor K. |last5=Jaffe |first5=David B. |last6=Kamal |first6=Michael |last7=Clamp |first7=Michele |last8=Chang |first8=Jean L. |last9=Kulbokas |first9=Edward J. |last10=Zody |first10=Michael C. |last11=Mauceli |first11=Evan |last12=Xie |first12=Xiaohui |last13=Breen |first13=Matthew |last14=Wayne |first14=Robert K. |last15=Ostrander |first15=Elaine A. |date=December 2005 |title=Genome sequence, comparative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nature04338 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=438 |issue=7069 |pages=803–819 |doi=10.1038/nature04338 |pmid=16341006 |bibcode=2005Natur.438..803L |issn=1476-4687}}</ref>
{{Cladogram|title=Canidae|align=center
|cladogram={{clade
 |label1=[[Canidae]]
  |1={{clade
   |1={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1=''[[Vulpes]]''
      |2=''[[Nyctereutes]]''
      }}
     |2='''''Otocyon'''''
     }}
    |2={{clade
     |1=[[Cerdocyonina]]
     |2=[[Canina (subtribe)|Canina]]
     }}
    }}
   |2=''[[Urocyon]]''
  }}
 }}
}}

==== Subspecies ====
Currently, there are two recognized [[subspecies]]:<ref name="msw3" />

{| class="wikitable "
|-
! Image !! Subspecies !! Distribution
|-
|[[File:Bat-eared fox, Otocyon megalotis, at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa (34193161324) (cropped).jpg|180px|alt=A fox standing in a neutral position]]||''Otocyon megalotis megalotis'' <small>(Desmarest, 1822)</small> ||[[Southern Africa]]
|-
|[[File:Bat-Eared Fox, Seronera Valley, Serengeti, Tanzania (33947794552).jpg|180px|alt=A fox with its mouth slightly open]]||''Otocyon megalotis virgatus'' <small>(Cabrera, 1910)</small> ||[[East Africa]]
|-
|}

==== Fossils ====
''Otocyon'' is poorly represented in the fossil record. It is suggested the genus forms a clade with ''[[Prototocyon]]'', an extinct genus of canid.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bibi |first1=Faysal |last2=Pante |first2=Michael |last3=Souron |first3=Antoine |last4=Stewart |first4=Kathlyn |last5=Varela |first5=Sara |last6=Werdelin |first6=Lars |last7=Boisserie |first7=Jean-Renaud |last8=Fortelius |first8=Mikael |last9=Hlusko |first9=Leslea |last10=Njau |first10=Jackson |last11=de la Torre |first11=Ignacio |title=Paleoecology of the Serengeti during the Oldowan-Acheulean transition at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania: The mammal and fish evidence |journal=Journal of Human Evolution |date=July 2018 |volume=120 |pages=48–75 |doi=10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.10.009|pmid=29191415 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2018JHumE.120...48B |hdl=10261/356953 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hartstone-Rose |first1=Adam |last2=Kuhn |first2=Brian F. |last3=Nalla |first3=Shahed |last4=Werdelin |first4=Lars |last5=Berger |first5=Lee R. |title=A new species of fox from the Australopithecus sediba type locality, Malapa, South Africa |journal=Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa |date=February 2013 |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.1080/0035919X.2012.748698|bibcode=2013TRSSA..68....1H |s2cid=84695745 }}</ref> In the [[Olduvai Gorge]], [[Tanzania]], fossils of the related extinct fox species first considered ''Otocyon recki'' have been found that date back to the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene.<ref name="Clark2005"/> ''O. recki'' is now often placed in ''Prototocyon'';<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wang |first1=Xiaoming |last2=Tedford |first2=Richard H. |title=Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History |date=2010 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=9780231135290}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Werdelin |first1=Lars |last2=Sanders |first2=William Joseph |title=Cenozoic Mammals of Africa |date=2010 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=9780520257214 |page=612}}</ref> fossil records specifically of ''Otocyon megalotis'' have been identified in sediments only as old as the [[Chibanian|middle Pleistocene]].<ref name="Potts&Deino">{{Cite journal |author1=Potts, R. |author2=Deino, A. |year=1995 |title=Mid-Pleistocene Change in Large Mammal Faunas of East Africa |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033589485710101 |journal=Quaternary Research |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=106–113 |bibcode=1995QuRes..43..106P |doi=10.1006/qres.1995.1010 |issn=0033-5894 |s2cid=128684576|url-access=subscription }}</ref> These fossils, known from the Lainyamok locality of Kenya, date back {{Ma|0.3|million years}}.<ref name="Lars-2010">{{Cite book |last1=Werdelen |first1=Lars |title=Cenozoic Mammals of Africa |last2=Peigné |first2=Stéphanie |publisher=University of California Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-520-25721-4 |editor-last1=Werdelin |editor-first1=Lars |pages=609–612 |chapter=Carnivora |editor-last2=Sanders |editor-first2=William Joseph}}</ref>

== Description ==
[[File:Bat Eared Fox (2604724281).jpg|thumb|An adult bat-eared fox|alt=A fox looking to its left and upwards at the viewer]]
Bat-eared foxes range in weight from {{Convert|3 to 5.3|kg|abbr=on}}. Their head and body length is {{Convert|46-66|cm|abbr=on}}, tail length is {{Convert|23-34|cm|abbr=on|sigfig=2}}, shoulder height is {{Convert|30-40|cm|abbr=on}},<ref name="Nowak2005">{{Cite book |publisher = Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn = 978-0-8018-8033-9 |last1 = Nowak |first1 = Ronald M. |last2 = Macdonald |first2 = David W. |last3 = Kays |first3 = Roland |title = Walker's Carnivores of the World |location = Baltimore |date = 2005}}</ref> and the notably large ears are {{Convert|11-13|cm|abbr=on}} long.<ref name="Sheldon1992">{{Cite book |publisher = Academic Press, Inc. |isbn = 0-12-639375-3 |last = Sheldon |first = Jennifer W. |title = Wild Dogs: the Natural History of the Nondomestic Canidae |location = San Diego |date = 1992}}</ref> The species displays a degree of [[sexual dimorphism]], in that females are generally larger and heavier than males.<ref name="Kieser-1995" />

Generally, the [[pelage]] is tan-colored, with gray [[Guard hair|guard hairs]] of an [[Agouti (coloration)|agouti coloration]].<ref name="Nowak2005"/> The undersides and throat are pale. The limbs are dark, shading to dark brown or black at their extremities. The muzzle, the tip and upperside of the tail and the facial mask are black. The insides of the ears are white.<ref name="Clark2005" /> Individuals of the East African subspecies, ''O.&nbsp;m. virgatus'', tend toward a [[buff (colour)|buff]] pelage with dark brown markings, as opposed to the black of ''O.&nbsp;m. megalotis''. The proportionally large ears of bat-eared foxes, a characteristic shared by many other inhabitants of hot, arid climates, such as the [[desert cottontail]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hinds |first=David S. |date=August 1973 |title=Acclimatization of Thermoregulation in the Desert Cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=708–728 |doi=10.2307/1378969 |jstor=1378969 |pmid=4744934}}</ref> help to [[Thermoregulation|distribute heat]]. They also help in locating prey.<ref name="Sheldon1992"/>

===Dentition and jaw adaptations===
The teeth of the bat-eared fox are much smaller those of other canid species,<ref name="Kieser-1995" /> excepting the [[bush dog]] (''Spetothos venaticus'') and [[dhole]] (''Cuon alpinus'').<ref name="Wallis-2022" /> The [[Molar (tooth)|molars]] are much more blunted and the [[Dental anatomy#Crown and root|roots]] are stronger than those of other canids, and the teeth have less [[Shearing (physics)|shearing]] capability. These are adaptations to its [[insectivorous]] diet and avoidance of soft foods.<ref name="Kieser-1995">{{cite journal|last=Kieser|first=J.A.|title=Gnathomandibular Morphology and Character Displacement in the Bat-eared Fox|journal=Journal of Mammalogy|date=May 1995|volume=76|issue=2|pages=542–550|doi=10.2307/1382362|jstor=1382362}}</ref> The bat-eared fox possesses 4-5 lower [[molar teeth]] and 3-4 upper molars, a number notable as it is greater than the number of lower or upper molars possessed by any other extant [[eutherian]]{{efn|Excepting the [[odontocete]]s.}} or canid, respectively.<ref name="Nel&Maas" />

The teeth are not the bat-eared fox's only [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] adaptation for its diet. On the lower jaw, a step-like protrusion is present called the subangular process, which is present in only a few canid species and both increases the bite force of the [[masseter muscle]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Penrose |first1=Fay |last2=Cox |first2=Philip |last3=Kemp |first3=Graham |last4=Jeffery |first4=Nathan |date=November 2020 |title=Functional morphology of the jaw adductor muscles in the Canidae |url=https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.24391 |journal=The Anatomical Record |language=en |volume=303 |issue=11 |pages=2878–2903 |doi=10.1002/ar.24391 |pmid=32141710 |issn=1932-8486|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and anchors the large [[digastric muscle]] to allow for rapid chewing. The [[digastric muscle]] is also modified to allow for opening and closing the jaw five times per second.<ref name="Clark2005"/>

== Distribution and habitat ==
The bat-eared fox has a [[disjunct distribution]] across the arid and semi-arid regions of Eastern and Southern Africa, in two [[allopatric]] populations (representing each of the recognized [[subspecies]]) separated by approximately {{Convert|1000|km|abbr=on}}. Subspecies ''O.&nbsp;m. virgatus'' extends from southern [[Sudan]], [[Ethiopia]] and [[Somalia]], through [[Uganda]] and [[Kenya]] to southwestern [[Tanzania]]; ''O.&nbsp;m. megalotis'' occurs in the southern part of Africa, ranging from [[Angola]] through [[Namibia]] and [[Botswana]] to [[South Africa]], and extends as far east as [[Mozambique]] and [[Zimbabwe]],<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> spreading into the [[Cape Peninsula]] and toward [[Cape Agulhas]]. Home ranges vary in size from {{Convert|0.3 to 3.5|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Clark2005" /> The two disjunct ranges of ''O. megalotis'' were likely connected to each other during the [[Pleistocene]] epoch.<ref name="SANBI Otocyon">{{Citation |title=''Otocyon megalotis'' Desmarest, 1822 |first1=Fredrik |last1=Dalerum |first2=Aliza |last2=le Roux |first3=Jan |last3=Kamler |first4=Samantha |last4=Page-Nicholson |first5=Christopher |last5=Stuart |first6=Mathilde |last6=Stuart |first7=Beryl |last7=Wilson |first8=Emmanuel Do |last8=Linh San |editor-last1=Child |editor-first1=MF |editor-last2=Roxburgh |editor-first2=L |editor-last3=Do Linh San |editor-first3=E |editor-last4=Raimondo |editor-first4=D |editor-last5=Davies-Mostert |editor-first5=HT |work=The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho |publisher= [[South African National Biodiversity Institute|South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust]] |location= South Africa |date=January 2016 |url=https://speciesstatus.sanbi.org/assessment/last-assessment/2162/}}</ref>

Bat-eared foxes are adapted to arid or semi-arid environments. They are commonly found in short [[grassland]]s, as well as the more arid regions of the [[savanna]]s, along woodland edges, and in open [[acacia]] woodlands.<ref name="Sheldon1992"/><ref name="Wallis-2022">{{Citation |last=Wallis |first=Lisa J. |title=Canine Life History |date=2022 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior |pages=956–972 |editor-last=Vonk |editor-first=Jennifer |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_1715 |access-date=2024-11-22 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_1715 |isbn=978-3-319-55064-0 |editor2-last=Shackelford |editor2-first=Todd K.|url-access=subscription }}</ref> They prefer bare ground and areas where grass is kept short by grazing [[ungulate]]s<ref name="Clark2005"/> and tend to hunt in these short grass and low shrub habitats. However, they do venture into areas with tall grasses and thick shrubs to hide when threatened.<ref name=Kutzsch>{{cite journal|last1=Kuntzsch|first1=V.|last2=Nel|first2=J.A.J.|title=Diet of bat-eared foxes Otocyon megalotis in the Karoo|journal=Koedoe|date=1992|volume=35|issue=2|pages=37–48|doi=10.4102/koedoe.v35i2.403|doi-access=free}}</ref>

In addition to raising their young in dens, bat-eared foxes use self-dug dens for shelter from extreme temperatures and winds. They also lie under acacia trees in South Africa to seek shade during the day.<ref name="Clark2005"/>

== Behavior and ecology ==

Bat-eared foxes are social animals. They live in pairs or groups, depending on the subspecies. In southern Africa (ssp. ''megalotis''), bat-eared foxes live in [[monogamous]] pairs with pups, while those in eastern Africa (ssp. ''virgatus'') may live in pairs, or in stable family groups consisting of a male and up to three closely related females with pups.<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing| isbn = 978-1-4081-8994-8| last = Kingdon| first = J.| title = Mammals of Africa: Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses| date = 2014}}</ref><ref name="Wallis-2022" /> Individuals forage, play, and rest together in a group, which helps in protection against [[predator]]s. They engage in frequent and extended [[Social grooming|allogrooming]] sessions, which serve to strengthen [[group cohesion]], mostly between mature adults, but also between young adults and mature adults.<ref name="Clark2005" />

[[File:Otocyon megalotis Dvur zoo Alt.png|thumb|Threat display of bat-eared fox|alt=A fox looking to the left with its head lowered and ears turned back]]

Visual displays are important in communication among bat-eared foxes. When they are looking intently at something, the head is held high, eyes are open, ears are erect and facing forward, and the mouth is closed. When an individual is in threat or showing submission, the ears are pulled back and lying against the head and the head is low. The tail also plays a role in communication. When an individual is asserting dominance or aggression, feeling threatened, playing, or being sexually aroused, the tail is arched in an inverted U shape. Individuals can also use [[piloerection]], which occurs when individual hairs are standing straight, to make it appear larger when faced with extreme threat. When running, chasing, or fleeing, the tail is straight and horizontal. The bat-eared fox can recognize individuals up to {{Convert|30|m|abbr=on}} away. The recognition process has three steps: First they ignore the individual, then they stare intently, and finally they either approach or attack without displays. When greeting another, the approaching individual shows symbolic submission which is received by the other individual with a high head and tail down. Few vocalizations are used for communication, but contact calls and warning calls are used, mostly during the winter. [[Scent gland|Glandular secretions]] and scratching, other than for digging, are absent in communication,<ref name="Clark2005" /> although they appear to establish [[pair bond]]s by [[scent marking]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Estes |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g977LsZHpcsC |title=The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates |date=1991 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-08085-0 |language=en}}</ref>

In the more northern areas of its range (around [[Serengeti]]), they are [[Nocturnality|nocturnal]] 85% of the time. However, around South Africa, they are nocturnal only in the summer and diurnal during the winter.<ref name="ADW">{{cite web|last1=Thompson|first1=Paul|title=''Otocyon megalotis'' bat-eared fox|url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Otocyon_megalotis/|website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] |publisher=University of Michigan|access-date=27 November 2024}}</ref>

=== Hunting and diet ===
[[File:Otocyon megalotis 02 MWNH.JPG|thumb|Skull of a bat-eared fox|alt=The skull of a bat-eared fox on a grey background]]

The bat-eared fox is the only truly [[insectivorous]] [[canid]],<ref name="Klare2011">{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1016/j.mambio.2011.06.005 |issn = 1616-5047 |volume = 76 |issue = 5 |pages = 646–650 |last1 = Klare |first1 = Unn |last2 = Kamler |first2 = Jan F. |last3 = Macdonald |first3 = David W. |title = The bat-eared fox: A dietary specialist? |journal = Mammalian Biology |date = September 2011 |bibcode = 2011MamBi..76..646K |url = https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1616504711000735|url-access = subscription }}</ref> with a marked preference for harvester termites (''[[Hodotermes|Hodotermes mossambicus]]''),<ref name="Stuart2003"/> which can constitute 80–90% of its diet.<ref name="Clark2005"/>

When this particular species of [[termite]] is not available, their opportunistic diet allows a wide variety of food items to be taken:<ref name="Stuart2003">{{Cite journal |last1=Stuart |first1=Chris T. |last2=Stuart |first2=Tilde |last3=Pereboom |first3=Vincent |date=2003 |title=Diet of the bat-eared fox (''Otocyon megalotis''), based on scat analysis, on the Western Escarpment, South Africa |url=https://www.stuartonnature.com/resources/Scientific_papers/Diet_of_the_bat-eared_fox.pdf |journal=Canid News |issn=1478-2677}}</ref> they can consume other species of termites, other [[arthropod]]s such as [[ant]]s, [[beetle]]s (especially [[Scarabaeidae|scarab beetle]]s),<ref name="ADW" /> [[Cricket (insect)|cricket]]s, [[grasshopper]]s, [[millipede]]s, [[moth]]s, [[scorpion]]s, [[spider]]s, and rarely birds, birds' eggs and chicks,<ref name="ADW" /> small mammals, reptiles, and [[fungi]] (the desert truffle ''[[Kalaharituber|Kalaharituber pfeilii]]''<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Trappe JM, Claridge AW, Arora D, Smit WA |year=2008 |title=Desert truffles of the Kalahari: ecology, ethnomycology and taxonomy |journal=Economic Botany |volume=62 |issue=3 |pages=521&ndash;529 |doi=10.1007/s12231-008-9027-6|s2cid=34319584 }}</ref>). Berries, seeds, and wild fruit also are consumed. The bat-eared fox refuses to feed on [[Trinervitermes trinervoides|snouted harvester termites]], likely because it is not adapted to tolerate the termites' [[Chemical defense#Invertebrates|chemical defense]].<ref name="Clark2005"/>

Bat-eared foxes require water for [[lactation]],<ref name="Wilson-2009" /> but have not been observed drinking from free-standing water.<ref name="Clark2005" /> They meet their water requirements through the high water content of their diet.<ref name="Wilson-2009">{{Cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Don E. |title=Handbook of the Mammals of the World |last2=Mittermeier |first2=Russell A. |publisher=[[Lynx Edicions]] |year=2009 |volume=1 |location=Barcelona |pages=435–436 |language=en |chapter=Canidae}}</ref>

Bat-eared foxes usually hunt in groups, often splitting up in pairs, with separated subgroups moving through the same general area.<ref name="Nel1978">{{Cite journal |last1=Nel |first1=J.A.J. |date=1978 |title=Notes on the food and foraging behavior of the bat-eared fox, ''Otocyon megalotis'' |journal=Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History}}</ref> When termites are plentiful, feeding aggregations of up to 15 individuals from different families occur.<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing| isbn = 978-1-4729-8267-4| last1 = Hunter| first1 = L.| last2 = Barrett| first2 = P.| title = Field Guide to Carnivores of the World| edition = 2nd| date = 2020}}</ref> Individuals [[foraging|forage]] alone after family groups break in June or July and during the months after pups birth.<ref name="Clark2005" />

Prey is located primarily by auditory means, rather than by smell or sight.<ref name="Nel1978"/> Foraging patterns vary between seasons and populations, and coincide with termite availability. In eastern Africa, nocturnal foraging is the rule, while in southern Africa, nocturnal foraging during summer slowly changes to an almost solely [[Diurnality|diurnal]] pattern during the winter. Foraging techniques depend on prey type, but food is often located by walking slowly, nose close to the ground and ears tilted forward.<ref name="Nel&Maas"/> It usually occurs in patches, which match the clumped prey resources, such as termite colonies, that also occur in patches. Groups are able to forage on clumps of prey in patches because they do not fight each other for food due to their degree of sociality and lack of territoriality.<ref name=Kutzsch /> As the bat-eared fox's range overlaps with that of the [[aardvark]], it will take advantage of termite mounds opened up by the latter animal, as will [[Aardwolf|aardwolves]].<ref>{{Citation |last1=Ferrell |first1=Brandon |title=Aardvark |date=2022 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior |pages=1–4 |editor-last=Vonk |editor-first=Jennifer |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_838 |access-date=2024-11-22 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_838 |isbn=978-3-319-55064-0 |last2=Evans |first2=Kristine O. |editor2-last=Shackelford |editor2-first=Todd K.|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

=== Reproduction and life cycle ===
[[File:Baby bat-eared fox.jpg|thumb|Juvenile bat-eared foxes playing outside of their den in Naboisho Conservancy, [[Kenya]], just outside of [[Maasai Mara]] National Reserve|alt=Two small (juvenile) foxes, one looking at the viewer and the other turned away, on a grassy field]]
The bat-eared fox is predominantly socially [[Social monogamy in mammalian species|monogamous]],<ref>{{cite journal  |last1 = Wright  |first1 = Harry WY |display-authors=etal  |year = 2010  |title = Mating tactics and paternity in a socially monogamous canid, the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)  |journal = Journal of Mammalogy  |volume = 91  |issue = 2 |pages = 437–446  |doi=10.1644/09-mamm-a-046.1 |doi-access = free }}</ref> although it has been observed in [[Polygyny in nature|polygynous]] groups.<ref name="Wallis-2022" /> In contrast to other canids, the bat-eared fox has a reversal in parental roles, with the male taking on the majority of the parental care behavior. [[Gestation#Mammals|Gestation]] lasts for 60–70 days and females give birth to litters consisting of one to six pups. Beyond [[lactation]], which lasts 14 to 15 weeks,<ref name="Clark2005"/> males take over grooming, defending, huddling, chaperoning, and carrying the young between den sites. Additionally, male care and [[maternity den|den]] attendance rates have been shown to have a direct correlation with pup survival rates.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Wright|first=Harry William Yorkstone|title=Paternal den attendance is the best predictor of offspring survival in the socially monogamous bat-eared fox|journal=Animal Behaviour|year=2006|volume=71|issue=3|pages=503–510|doi=10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.03.043|s2cid=53148426}}</ref> The female forages for food, which she uses to maintain milk production, on which the pups heavily depend. Food foraged by the female is not brought back to the pups or [[Regurgitation (digestion)|regurgitated]] to feed the pups.<ref name="Clark2005"/>

Pups in the [[Kalahari]] region are born September–November and those in the [[Botswana]] region are born October–December. Young bat-eared foxes disperse and leave their family groups at 5–6 months old and reach sexual maturity at 8–9 months.<ref name="Clark2005" /> Bat-eared foxes have been recorded reaching maximum lifespans of over 14 to 17 years in captivity,<ref name="ADW" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bat-eared fox articles – Encyclopedia of Life |url=http://eol.org/pages/328698/articles |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=eol.org |language=en}}</ref> and up to 9 years in the wild.<ref name="Wallis-2022" />

== Threats and human interaction ==
No major threats to bat-eared fox populations exist, though hunting, disease and drought can threaten individuals and lower population numbers on a short term scale.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> Diseases that affect the bat-eared fox include [[canine distemper]], [[canine parvovirus]], and [[Rabies in animals|rabies]].<ref name="SANBI Otocyon" /> Predators to the bat-eared fox are mostly large mammalian [[Carnivore|carnivores]], but they are also prey to large [[Bird of prey|raptors]] and the [[Central African rock python]]. [[Black-backed jackal|Black-backed jackals]] pose the greatest threat to young bat-eared foxes, but in breeding areas, adults will engage in [[Mobbing (animal behavior)|mobbing]] behavior to drive them off.<ref name="Clark2005" />

=== Conservation ===
''Otocyon megalotis'' is considered to be a [[least-concern species]] by both the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] and the [[South African National Biodiversity Institute]].<ref name="SANBI Otocyon" /> Some parts of its range are incidentally [[Protected area|protected areas]].<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" />

=== Human use and captivity ===
The bat-eared fox has some commercial use for [[human]]s. They are important for [[harvester termite]] population control, as the termites are considered pests. They have also been hunted for their fur by [[Ethnic groups in Botswana|Botswana native]]s.<ref name="Clark2005" /> Captive bat-eared foxes are present in zoos in North America, South Africa, Europe, and Asia.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" />

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Carnivora|Ca.}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q200400|from2=Q20907552|from3=Q49629359}}

[[Category:Foxes]]
[[Category:Carnivorans of Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of East Africa]]
[[Category:Mammals of Southern Africa]]
[[Category:Mammals of Angola]]
[[Category:Mammals of Botswana]]
[[Category:Mammals of Ethiopia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Kenya]]
[[Category:Mammals of Namibia]]
[[Category:Mammals of South Africa]]
[[Category:Mammals of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Mammals of Zambia]]
[[Category:Myrmecophagous mammals]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1822]]